10 Dog Breeds That Love Greeting Children at Schools

Did you know that many new or expecting parents choose to bring a furry sibling into the family? Dogs are natural mood-boosters; comforting, loyal companions who support the emotional well-being of both parents and children.

They foster empathy, responsibility, and patience, while also reducing anxiety and encouraging an active lifestyle.

Always eager to celebrate your arrival, whether you adopt a rescue dog or welcome a purebred, these pups quickly become a child’s best friend and a source of joy, protection, and companionship.

Choosing a family-friendly dog means giving your kids more than a pet; it’s gifting them a partner in adventure, love, and lifelong memories.

Dog Breeds That Love Greeting Children at Schools

Did you know? A recent survey conducted shows that among 2,000 parents of school-aged children, around 74% reported that their kids love to have a pet, and around 78% were found asking specifically for a dog. Hence, of course, this man’s best friend, despite their loud barks and heavy shedding, comes in highly recommended when it comes to getting your kids the right present for the holidays.

Let’s explore the most child–friendly dog breeds that will make every milestone of your baby special and rewarding. Be prepared for the cuteness and enchanting adorability to ensue.

1. Poodle

Long live the smartypant, sporty, jack of all trades. Long live the poodle king. Know this: the moment you bring these elegant cafe-au-lait puppies into your house, the lives of your babies will change for the better.

The stylish maestro, with a talent to enchant people towards him

Because poodles will not only bring in the charm and poise in your home, but they’ll also bring the outdoorsy and intelligent spirit, due to which you’ll find your kids getting more physically active and aware.

Easy-going and always up for fun, this puppy, who was originally bred to be a water dog and retriever, will prove to be a wonderful furry sibling for your sweet kids. The best part about these fancy breeds is their hypoallergenic coats and natural show-stopping cheeriness.

Poodles love to learn new tricks and will even keep your laughing muscles active. These pups might need a lot of exercise, but are incredibly street smart, patient, and highly trainable. Hence, the best option is for a family whose energy levels are on the high end of things.

2. Pug

Guess what? These royal favorites were built for the spotlight; hence, if your kids bring this smooshed face mystery to their school. Let us confirm to you, your child is going to be pretty popular and might as well finish as a high school prom king or queen just by living and growing up beside this royal canine.

The well-known Instagram celebrity with over 200,000 followers

Also, beware that other kids will love this tiny curly-tailed enigmatic puppy so much that they might even feel envious of your babies.

Because pugs are a whole other level of doggy package filled with quirkiness, cuddliness, and liveliness, not to mention their affection for your kids will also be off the charts.

Pugs are true companions at heart. They love meeting new people and other dogs, but what they enjoy most is simply being part of whatever their owner is doing. Like cheerful little shadows, they follow their favorite humans from room to room, content just to be included and feel connected.

3. Shih Tzu

If you mix just the right proportion of snuggliness, affection, patience, charm, and some royal fluffiness extraordinaire, you’ll get a shih tzu. That one exceptional low-shedding, silky hair breed that’ll be the perfect part of any family.

The furry chrysanthemums with a floor-sweeping coat, the perfect pint-sized lapdog

Orvis vouches for this down-to-earth, playful companion that has a lot of common attributes with the king of the jungle, aka lions. They are a smart dog breed that is full of surprises and a lot of silkiness wrapped into one.

They are incredibly enthralling frontrunners of agility competitions (note: your babies are bound to be active if they grow beside this puppy), plus they’re delightful loungers on pillows all day.

A relief and respite for allergy sufferers and a smart pup who’ll be found basking in glory for half of the day and admiring and adoring their owners for the rest.

Hence, they are the ideal dogs to bring to school. They’ll not only greet other kids with flair but also give your little ones a royal status in their class.

4. Bichon Frise

Imagine walking in your lil one with their favorite plushie? Just think what the reaction of the surrounding people and kids would be. Your baby is going to be famous without even having to make any effort. This pup looks like he walked straight out of a toy store where a sea of stuffed animals is available.

The Sweet Prince Charming of dogdom – Extremely adaptable, and full of personality

But don’t take Bichon too lightly, as it is a curly white royal lap dog who is charming nonetheless, but also incredibly affectionate, inquisitive, and shy. This adoring yet smart sidekick loves learning new tricks and is so loyal that it’ll stand by you through thick and thin, no matter what.

Chewy notices this loyal puppy likes exercising and performing, does not shed a lot, as this petite beauty is hypoallergenic, and most importantly, it is your number one fan.

Hence, bichons will be the members of your children’s personal cheerleading squad, your emotional support therapists, and the reason your child will respond and engage with people better.

5. Irish Setter

Want a loving, goofy, and curious pup to stand by your kids’ side on Bring Your Doggie to school day? Get this red-coated Irish setter, who isn’t just beautiful but also the smartest, sweetest, and friendliest pup you’ll ever find.

Seems shocking? Don’t doubt their overly affectionate and social vibe because these puppies happen to have contributed heavily to the making of another friendly guy, aka the golden retriever.

Contagiously Enthusiastic, Glamorous, Stunning yet Encouraging, Soft-Natured Puppy

Hence, if your doubts about bringing home this red Irish puppy haven’t been cleared, we cannot do much more to convince you. These pups are way more active than goldens, hence they might need bigger yards to romp and play. Resemble their descendants a lot and are the best option for an outgoing and social dog.

Purina says bring these gorgeously chestnut to mahogany coated puppies to the dog park and you’ll see. They have a strong inclination and affinity for their humans and will even give many mainstream breeds a run for their money by exhibiting clingy behavior and seeking attention, affection, and companionship.

P.S. If you are interested in getting your kids the perfect puppy, evaluate your budget options here on our cost of owning a dog calculator to get an idea of how much you need to devote to this dog.

6. Collie

How can we not mention Lassie when talking about breeds that love greeting children at school? Whether it’s walking beside their pet parents or waiting patiently to greet their favorite lil humans all day, the collie beats other dogs by a landslide. Because you won’t find a more excited dog than a collie for doing this job.

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious yet immortalized star of the canine kingdom

These super trainable yet friendly, devoted dogs are playful, adaptable, and rightfully cheery when it comes to picking up their favorite lil humans from school or greeting them after they come out of the school bus. Collies are perfect from head to toe; every bit of their existence is intelligent, affectionate, and athletic.

These friendly dogs have a unique fluffball shape and are not ideal for apartment living due to their physical and mental stimulation needs.

They are the right fit to be your energetic kids’ playmates. These herding dogs showcase as a well-rounded family member on the round table conference for your little one’s appropriate raising community.

7. Pomeranian

Hey! You must be thinking what this sassy, spunky, less dog more attitude kinda breed is doing on this social dog’s list. But believe us, Pomeranians are not just a sight to behold.

They are a great protective, heavily shedding, and playful breed that is just the right size for fitting in any large or small space that you own, and are more importantly masters of bonding and socializing with new people.

Peppy, Vocal, Willful & Brave meet the Fluffy Canine Emperor among toys & shelter dogs

Yes, even though shocking, but poms fit right in any household and with kids of all ages. Hence, they deserve a higher place in the matter of family-friendly dogs. These small-sized entertainers will teach your kids good manners and plenty of tricks.

They love to play but don’t overtake the household with their high energy levels. Moreover, Pomeranians are easy to train, attractive, affectionate, cuddly, and cute dogs. Who’ll be a positive influence on your growing child’s life, who are nowadays usually glued to screens?

Because they were originally bred to be working dogs, these Pomeranians have a reputation for moderate activity. They are sturdy enough to bear roughhousing and are the perfect bite-sized pups who have a sweet X factor. That makes poms well-suited to any household.

8. Maltese

A fluffy little pup that seems like he jumped straight out of a fantasy movie, the Maltese is one to watch. These charming, luxurious, yet ancient dogs with expressive dark eyes and a lively disposition are another great option to bring into your growing family.

The oldest toy breed and companion of nobility and royalty

These pups with a flowy white showstopping floor-length coat are patient and tolerant with children whom they know.

VCA Animal Hospitals says these ancient, beautiful puppies are a delicate and sophisticated royal breed that forms a harmonious relationship with adults and kids of all ages once they are properly socialized and consistently trained. Early exposure to different environments, animals, and people makes them adapt to family life flawlessly.

These dogs are quite active and energetic. They love to spend time and play with their favorite humans. They are affectionate and extremely loyal and also fantastically irresistible, due to their gentle and cuddly demeanor and eager-to-please personalities.

Hence, if your little one brings these fluffy pooches to school, they’ll not only gain instant fame and recognition. But they’ll also become the icon and a trendy gossip topic in the whole educational building.

9. Havanese

This doting, delightful yet native superstar isn’t all fluff and no character. This resident of Havana, Cuba, is another bright, adoring yet cheery dog with a social character and bite-sized mood boosting persona. These silky-haired cutest dogs are the ultimate friendly pooches who are always excited about making new friends.

The ultimate social butterflies with a big personality

PetMD notes these extroverted pups are amusingly curious about everything around them. Adorably enough, these pups won’t leave your side when you are sad and sulking, and are known for invading the personal space of their owner time and again because of their social needs.

Playful, gentle, and kind, these dogs will thrive in almost any environment as long as they are on the receiving end of attention and affection from your side.

The Havanese are warm and bright puppies who’ll be found with their happily wagging tails and overjoyed, bouncy demeanor as soon as their favorite tiny humans get off the school bus or walk through the door.

For the Havanese, their favorite hobby is to spend time with their person. Hence, if you get one of these as a Halloween or Christmas present for your kids, know that they’ll find your kids fascinating, will change their outlook on life, and gain them a great number of friends.

10. Beagle

Beagles are gentle souls that are not only known for their calm demeanor but also for their daring and zooming bursts of energy. Equipped with a keen sense of smell and superpowered noses that sometimes lead these lemon-colored pups into trouble.

Meet the adventurers of the dog world

Continental Kennel Club states that these puppies, which are thought to be the smaller version of the English foxhounds, are a great option for active pet parents who want their kids to turn into tiny explorers from the moment they open their eyes in this world.

The inspiration for Snoopy and Mr. Peabody, beagles are known for their highly intense needs for physical activity and mental stimulation.

But we bet that you need them, because your kids won’t just love them, they’ll be obsessed with these sweet, energetic, courageous, and friendly dogs who are smart, fun, and cheerful with every fur on their small bodies.

Conclusion

These pups are so devoted to their humans that they deserve all the love and respect in the world. Many parents even confirm that receiving a furry friend as a present on Christmas morning was the best feeling in the whole entire world. There is no doubt that these doggies make the lives of their owners and children much more meaningful and interesting.

But not only that, they bring in so much to the table when you are constantly worried about raising responsible adults, because these puppies don’t just play with your precious creations, but they teach them compassion, patience, and responsibility. Hence, half of your job for training and disciplining your babies is taken care of after you bring these enigmatic and social butterflies home.

If you are still on the quest for finding the right fit for your growing family, consider these other breeds like the cocker spaniel, Labrador retriever, border collie, and Cavalier King Charles spaniel, who are also known for their bright as sunshine personalities and are easier to train, control, and handle.

P.S. It is essential to consider your lifestyle, living arrangements, and surrounding environment before bringing in these calm and composed yet turbulently affectionate dogs into your home.